Offspring support Vic sperm donor reforms

For Myfanwy Cummerford, the discovery of information about the man who donated the sperm that helped create her is helping set her free.

But her initial reaction to learning she was donor-conceived was potentially disastrous.

In a submission to the Victorian parliamentary committee which examined possible changes to legislation concerning donors and their offspring, Ms Cummerford didn't know until she turned 20 that her biological father was not the same man who raised her.

"To find out that I was donor-conceived at age 20 was absolutely devastating," Ms Cummerford said.

"I cannot describe a more traumatic experience to go through ..."

Shortly after discovering she was donor-conceived, Mr Cummerford learned the identity of her donor father.

The knowledge has changed her life and she now wants all information made available.

"I believe that the truth will set me free," she said.

"I want answers so that I can move forward in life without these feelings of loss and grief.

"I don't think anyone should have to endure this, especially when the records do exist."

Ms Cummerford also told the committee she had been made to feel like a second-class citizen by having to plead for information which she believes should have been freely available.

"I knew that that information was sitting in a filing cabinet and I wasn't entitled to access it.

"That made me incredibly angry, and still makes me angry today."

The committee also heard of other, far-reaching implications for donor-conceived children.

Damian Adams told the committee his own lack of identity had spoiled what should have been one of the most joyous times of his life.

"The single biggest thing in my life that has shaped my perspective on being donor-conceived was the birth of my own children," Mr Adams told the committee.

"It was after my daughter was born (that) I came to think about how, if she ever grew up not knowing who I was, that was a concept that I just could not bear to think about.

"What should have been an extremely happy and joyous time in my life became extremely dark, and it has left me scarred for life."

The Law Reform Committee's report recommends the Victorian government legislate to allow all donor-conceived people free access to identifying information about donors.

It stopped short of making the same recommendation for donors who may seek information and suggested either side should be allowed to veto any contact that may be sought.

Ms Cummerford thanked the committee for having the guts to take action, after fighting for so long for something that most people take for granted.

"The ability to answer the most basic questions - Who am I? Where do I come from?," the 31-year-old said in a statement by advocacy group Tangled Webs.

"We are the only group of people in Australia discriminated against on the basis of how we were conceived and when we were born."